Kyle's Rock Song
by Billy Tom Plummer Ledger
Summary: This is my closure and Kyle's justice to a good last season even though he deserves many of many seasons and maybe even a movie, because if the X-Files are good enough, why not Kyle? This is a kessi, jandy, and marli fic
1. Chapter 1

Kyle's Rock Song

Kyle hung his head as he sat at the edge of Jessi's bed.

"Kyle," Jessi said as she walked into her bedroom. "Is everything okay? Upstairs – the window –" Jessi stopped mid sentence as Kyle looked up. He was crying. "Oh, Kyle," Jessi soothed as she sat next to him and took his hand.

"I-I did something." Kyle choked out as he sobbed. "It was so horrible and I-"

"Kyle, what did you do?" Jessi asked.

"Cassidy." Kyle choked out after some tears jerked out of his beautiful blue eyes. "He threatened to hurt everyone – even you – and I couldn't take it so I-I did something –"

"Kyle," Jessi said to him as she held his hand tighter. "It's okay, you did what you needed to do. He was going to kill you, it was self defense."

"Jessi, it isnt okay. It's never going to be okay." Kyle said for the first and last time that night.

Everyone came and went. Lori, Josh, Nicole, and Stephen walked in together. Lori called Mark and went to go see him. Josh didn't move. Nicole went to Kyle.

"Kyle? What happened?" She demanded in her therapeutic voice. "Kyle, tell me," she ordered but all Kyle could mutter was I'm Sorry over and over again. She continued to try to get something out of him as Stephen dialed 911 upstairs.

"Hello, there's been a death in my home. My son – he – it was for self defense. He tapped into his phone and got us out of the house. And –"

"Take a deep breath," the other end said to him. "Where are you?"

"My son – he's as innocent as he can be. There's a taser on the floor and –" the other end asked again where Stephen was as Josh was upstairs on his cell phone.

"Andy," he said in his dreamy voice. "Andy, oh my god, you wont believe whats happened," he said in his dreadful voice. Then there was Lori and Mark at the rack. Mark was already there before and Lori ran into his arms.

"Oh, Lori," Mark said as he kissed her hair. "What's wrong?"

"Cassidy… and Kyle… and Latknot… and its all just down the drain." Lori told him as her hands gripped on his arm.

"I know," Mark said as he smoothed her hair from her crying face. "I know," he repeated again but really, he knew nothing.

The cops came in bright lights and questioned everyone, took Kyle and Jessi to the station, and prints of everything they could, and statements from most of everyone on the block. Soon they left and later Kyle and Jessi were released.

"It's going to be okay," Jessi told him and took hold of his hand again. "He was going to kill you," Jessi had to choke out the words because the thought of Kyle gone hurt her more than she would admit. "Kyle, it is not your fault."

"I should have been more in control." Jessi shut up after that because she honestly knew nothing of control. Kyle couldn't sleep that night. He laid awake in his tub and Jessi laid awake in her bed upstairs.

"Jessi, will you please go to sleep? Your tossing and turning is driving me _insane_." Lori whined in her sleepy voice.

"Well, your snoring keeps me awake."

"I don't snore!"

"No, but Mark does." Lori made a gaging sound as she turned on her other side and thought to herself, _I can not wait for college. _Jessi still couldn't sleep as she stared at the darkened ceiling and listened to Kyle's heartbeat downstairs.

Kyle's heart skipped a few beats when something outside rustled. Jessi smiled as she acknowledged how paranoid Kyle could be. Downstairs as Kyle lays in his tub a hand lightly tapped on his window. Kyle got up out of his tub and walked over to the window to where Amanda stood.

"Oh, Kyle," Amanda said as she saw him. "My mom told me and I – I couldn't believe. I had to see you," Kyle said nothing but gave her a hand for her to come in. "Are you okay?" Amanda asked. She was shaken up, Kyle knew as he listened to her heartbeat. Kyle nodded. Then he said yes but he didn't believe it himself. Amanda did though.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and Kyle hugged her back. Then she kissed him. Her hands laid limp on his chest as she looked up into his sad blue eyes. She was about to say something but thought the timing wasn't right.

"You should probably go. You don't want to worry your mom," Kyle told her in an apathetic voice. Amanda looked like a sad puppy into his eyes and said nothing as she left his room.

The next day, Kyle worked on the glass door he had broken. Or technically, Cassidy broke it.

"You don't have to do that," Stephen told him as he stood by the side of the damage.

"Yes, I do. It was my fault." Stephen stood there for a while before he left. Kyle continued working and then Jessi came.

"What are you doing?"

"Fixing the door."

"I know that, I'm not stupid." Jessi muttered. "I mean – _why _are you doing it?" She gasped out.

"Because I broke it."

"Technically Cassidy broke it." Jessi spoke too soon and Kyle gave her his grave look. "Sorry," She muttered. She didn't like apologizing. "I wish you hadn't done it," Jessi told him, "I wish I could have been there to do it."

"That wouldn't have been right," Kyle reprimanded her.

"Yeah, but that way you wouldn't have had to do it yourself." Kyle looked at her and then he went back to work. Jessi left him and went out.

"Jessi?" Nicole called out from the living room as Jessi was about to leave.

"Yeah, Nicole," she answered back as she walked into the room. Nicole sat on the couch and you could tell she was tired, physically and emotionally. She always looked so fragile.

"Jessi…" She said as she took a deep breath. "With everything that has been going on with Kyle. Well I cant help but think that it has something to do with… with your influence on him." She finally strangled into Jessi's head.

"What? You think this was my fault?" Jessi asked loudly – now outraged. "I didn't do anything." She gasped.

"Jessi, calm down." Nicole said as she stepped forward to her, but not touching her. "I just don't think it's a good idea for you to be living here right now. Its too complicated."

Jessi couldn't think. All she could do was act and she walked out of there as Nicole remained standing there.


	2. Chapter 3

Amanda is still at the hut and is listening to Josh whine as Kyle gets to kiss Jessi. Josh tells her about every cute thing Andy has ever done and every annoying thing she has ever done. Like the time she tried to get him a new girlfriend. Amanda doesn't listen so much but thinks about Kyle a whole lot.

"Amanda? Are you listening to me?"

"Of course, Andy – I mean Josh. Sorry, I meant Josh," she flusters and then her flushed face turns a little red as someone familiar walks in. "Nate –"

"Did you do Cassidy died?" Nate hissed at her and then looked at Josh who was staring at him like he was yesterdays news. "Shouldn't you be working that idiotic ass of yours?" Josh made a face and wiggled his eyebrows. When Nate wasn't looking he put his fingers in a v format around his mouth and wiggled his tongue.

"Cassidy died?" Amanda asked in a non shocked voice. "Oh, bummer," she told him.

"Kyle killed him, you know."

"I know. It was self defense," Amanda replied calmly as Nate's nostrils flared.

"You don't what he's done!" Nate yells at her as he punches the counter.

"Hey! I just cleaned that jackass!" Josh yelled at him. Declan recognized him and walked over.

"Do I need to escort this gentlemen off the premises, Amanda?" Declan asked her. He's always wanted to say that just not with Amanda's name. He imagined it more with Lori but now with Jackie. Nate took the hint and left.

"Thanks," Amanda thanked Declan.

"No problem," Declan tells her. "I've always wanted to say that," Declan added with a smile. Amanda smiled back. She's always liked Declan but she would never date him after he cheated on Lori five minutes afterwards. He goes through girlfriends like a fire through water.

Back in the bathroom at the Trager house, Kyle is still kissing Jessi and Jessi is still kissing Kyle. Kyle finally pushes away and takes a breather.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" Jessi asked.

"No, you did everything right." He corrected. "You should probably get going –"

"To the apartment?" Jessi finished his sentence. You could easily understand her disappointment.

"Jessi I wish we could be together but –"

"Nicole said only if we're not living in this house. She's kicked me out. We're good to go," Jessi smiled widely. Kyle didn't say anything. He just kissed her again and that answered all of their questions. Their kiss was sweet, slow, and passionate.

Downstairs, Stephen is talking to the cops.

"I thought he was exonerated."

"He cant be – there has to be a trial for self defense. We took the prints and Michael's prints were all over it. We've acknowledged that his name has been changed and taken in all of his records on the computer of his."

"You've taken his computer?"

"Yes, don't worry. Your son wont even need a lawyer. Or a jury." The policemen infirmed him.

Stephen was more worried about the computer.

That something more than a court case could be opened here.


	3. Chapter 2

Kyle's Rock Song

"Cassidy's dead?" Declan repeated the question for the fifth time already.

"Yes, will you stop repeating it, it's really bringing me down," Lori said as she sat across from Declan. "Ugh, where the hell is Mark?" She groaned. She had been waiting for him for the past few hours since she told him the news. When she told him he simply looked at her in a surprised manner and walked out without saying anything.

"Who knows? Who cares? Kyle killed –"A few people walked by then so he lowered his voice. "Kyle killed Cassidy. Kyle actually killed somebody – I didn't think Kyle could actually hurt anyone." Declan thought.

"He hurt Amanda." Lori pointed out.

"Yeah, emotionally but not _physically_, you know. I mean – someone's dead and I know he was a bad someone but I never thought Kyle – maybe Jessi…" he rambled.

"I know, out of everyone to commit homicide I would have bet millions on Jessi." Lori thought out loud. Then she noticed Jessi just arriving at The Rack. "Speak of the devil," she added as she leaned back on the other side of the chair.

Jessi went over to where Amanda was standing and said hi. Amanda walked away angrily and Josh walked over.

"What did you stick up her ass?" He asked her.

"I don't know obviously _some_thing though." Jessi said as she leaned on the counter. "I'll just take my usual."

"What usual, you have gotten everything off the menu at least twice."

"Well just get me – I don't know – something." Jessi asked as the angry settled in.

"Just to let you know, grudge feeding isnt the best habit." Josh told her as he walked away to make her _something_. Jessi looked up and saw Lori and Declan watching her curiously.

"Oh, no, don't stare." Lori scolded Declan as she stole her gaze away. "It's rude."

"You were too," Declan reminded her. "I just can't believe… anything. I mean I can believe it – I've lived it for the past three years but… It's all so unreal." He said.

"Tell me about it," Lori replied as her mouth circled around her straw and her eyes averted their gaze to Jessi. Jessi looked lost, furious, and sad all at the same time. Lori felt sorry for her and even if someone tried to strangle it out of her, she would never admit how close she felt to Jessi sometimes.

Over at the counter Amanda served Jessi something with strawberries, kiwi, frozen yogurt, lemonade, blue berries, some ice cream, and some concoction with apples.

"What's that?" Jessi asked as the picture of the poison alarmed her senses.

"Don't ask me," Amanda said coldly.

"What got stuck in your ass?"

"Charlie. Kyle. Nate. You."

"I didn't cheat on you."

"No, you were just being the one cheated with."

"So was Hillary."

"Well Hillary wasn't a backstabbing, stubborn bitch."

Jessi's mouth hanged open. "I helped you," she choked out. "That jackass could have killed you and I saved you and now you're mad at me?" She asked – astounded at Amanda. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Amanda coldly said as she started to make a smoothie. She stopped midway and then looked distantly into the blender. "I went to see Kyle last night and… he was so distant. I've never seen him that way."

"He was pretty shaken up."

"But he's always been so confident, and strong and brave and…. I guess I always thought he was perfect, somehow."

"No one's perfect, Amanda. Not even if you want them to be," Jessi said but now she was lost in her own thoughts.

Back at the Trager household Stephen and Nicole were just starting out their days.

"You kicked her out?!" Stephen yelled now that all of his wild emotions ran free. Sadness, Furiousness, and most of all, the outrage that was just being experimented with. "How could you do that?"

"You're the one who said that you didn't want her in the first place," Nicole said to defend herself.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I want her to be out in the world without anything or anyone."

"She won't be, she still has her apartment."

"An apartment she can't even pay for." Stephen finally brought into the light. "She has no money, and she isnt even enrolled in school yet. She's not emancipated!"

"She can be – she can get a job and she can sign herself up for school if she wants to. She's smart enough that she doesn't have to go."

"Yes but she needs the experience, the life, the dullness, the drama, and the boring. The things that shape teenagers."

"_Normal _teenagers." Nicole muttered. Stephen gave her a hard look and Nicole added, "she isnt exactly you're average teenager." As soon as she said that, Lori walked in.

"Has Mark called?" She asked as her arms folded in front of her chest. No one said anything. "Fine, don't tell me anything," she said as she put her hands up as if the police were in the room. "Just act like everything is sweet with honey around here. Like we aren't housing a psycho." Lori announced as she walked up stairs. She stopped on the edge of the first steps and thought to herself, _I'm going to have my own room_ but not in the gloriously happy way a teenage girl would think.

Normal doesn't exist in Lori's head.

Kyle is back in his bedroom listening to the whole thing but wanting to sleep. He doesn't understand Nicole anymore but he still loves her, he knows that, he just doesn't know why she does the things she does. If she thinks it's right. If it's for the best or if she just wants everything under control. Behind all that he is thinking of Amanda, of her heartbeat and her angelic face but then there is Jessi who is strong, brave, smart and beautiful. He can share things with her that he can't with everybody else but Amanda was – is his first love. When the thought of firsts entered his brain he was remembered of that night.

How he threw Cassidy into the door and out onto the porch with one punch. The scared look on his face and how the cockiness was wiped off his face. He held onto him so tight and loosened for that moment when Cassidy spoke those words.

"I'm your brother." He spoke in his British voice. He said it so confidently but his eyes didn't agree and neither did his heartbeat. All of the science behind it said that he was lying. Kyle's hands binded more around his neck. He could feel the fire behind his eyes and see the desperation in Cassidy's.

"My brother wouldn't try to kill me and he wouldn't threaten to kill everybody I love. My mother wouldn't want me dead," Cassidy's eyes go wide before they eventually roll over.


	4. Chapter 4

Jessi is packing her clothes into her duffel bag when Lori comes in.

"You're really leaving?" Lori asked with surprise. "I thought you had more spunk than that."

"Nicole doesn't like spunk," Jessi said.

"Since when are you here to please anybody?" Lori asked in a snotty voice. "Look, I'm sorry, for being such a bitch twenty four seven." Lori takes a breath for a moment as Jessi keeps packing. "Here," Lori said as she handed Jessi a shirt.

"Your shirt?"

"The one you stole that looks better on you." Lori gasped in a breath and then turned around on her heel to leave but Jessi grabbed hold of her hand and Lori looked into Jessi's blue eyes and smiled.

Kyle was in his bedroom. Fully clothed and still dazed about what happened earlier. He never felt this way after kissing Amanda. After kissing Jessi he felt… aware of everything. Every touch and smell was filtered into his mind more than usual and compared it all to Jessi without even one thought about it.

A knock came from his window. He looked up and saw Amanda there, not smiling. Kyle got up and walked to the window where she was.

"You know we have a front door, don't you?" He reminded her.

"I like this better. Our secret," Amanda said as Kyle helped her in.

"Declan uses this way too." Kyle pointed out. After a while of awkward silence, Amanda took his hand. It felt nice and warm. It felt like love but when he held hand with Jessi it felt _right_. As if their hands were carved to fit each other.

"Kyle I love you," Amanda told him and Kyle looked at her in that cute way that he always does when he is surprised but then every way Kyle looks is cute. "I'm sorry for how I reacted about Jessi before. It was silly and childish of me. I know you're one of the good guys, I've always known and I've always loved you."

"I love you too, Amanda." Kyle told her and Amanda kissed him. Again, this kiss wasn't like one shared with Jessi. It was sweet and filled with love and care but there was no passion, no fire burning in your blood or any electrical current running through the skin.

"Will you take me back?" Amanda asked him with those big sad eyes. Those begging eyes that Kyle could just stare into all day long. He wanted to say yes, but there was a part of him that said no. There was no place in his heart that could have a part for more than one person in that way. He kissed Amanda once more and felt the love he had the first day he saw her. That love would always be with him in his heart because she was his first but not his only love.

"I can't Amanda. I love you and I always will but…"

"You love Jessi too?" Amanda finished for him. She was always sure of it but just never ready to accept it. And after some hesitation and confusion, Kyle said yes. Tears sprung fast out of Amanda's eyes and Kyle pulled her in close in a hug.

Everyone gathered around the table that night except for Jessi. It was quiet at the dinner table, Nicole thought it was her fault and Lori agreed with her. Josh was thinking about exactly how Kyle would kill someone. Kyle was thinking about Cassidy, Amanda, and Jessi all at once. Stephen was just eating his food.

"So tomorrow is school," Nicole announced to them.

"Yeah, tomorrow is school," Lori said in a monotone voice and the day ended.


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, its been a long time I know but my first excuse was that it was my birthday on the twentyfourth, (I am fifteen now, officially in purgatory), second, I got sick on my birthday and have been all week, and third, medicine knocks me out pretty quickly and unless you want Kyle to become an alcoholic who pays for a hooker who looks like Amanda then starts crying saying Why Did I Go Wrong? and then hires another hooker that looks like Jessi and starts weirding her out by seeing if she has a monotone voice or a belly button and finally hiring a hooker who accidently and coincidentally who looks like Nicole and starts pleading for forgiveness before she says - "I'll suck your cock but there is no way you are popping _my cherry_"**

The first day of school was horrible for everyone who actually attended, like Josh, and everyone else in the student body. Josh already pissed off most of his teachers, and Kyle has astounded his because some did not believe in the miracle kid. Lori and Hillary don't have many classes together but neither does Lori and Declan. Kyle has four classes with Jessi and three classes with Amanda. He has two classes with Amanda and Jessi.

Kyle called Nicole during school and told her that Jessi wasn't there so Nicole went to the apartment. It was opened when she got there.

"Jessi?" She called into nothingness. No one answered and she walked into the kitchen where Jessi was sitting and reading a book called The Right Parent but she crossed out Right and wrote Compulsive Bitchy Dick of a and then Parent was right next to it. "Jessi," Nicole said with one sigh before noticing the cover art. "Jessi," she said again as her eyes went wide.

"Yes Nicole," Jessi said without looking up.

"You didn't go to school today."

"I thought I was emancipated," Jessi said. Nicole then took out the forms.

"Once a judge sees your case, Jessi."

"My case? Because I'm _damaged_?" She said with a temper as she looked up. The book was slammed against the counter. "Go away," she ordered of Nicole.

"No, I won't. Look, Jessi, there are things you still need to do now that you aren't in my household. You need to go to school, get a job, keep food in the fridge, keep this place clean, and get a roommate to help pay for the apartment."

"A roommate?"

"You have another empty bedroom."

"That's Sarah's room," Jessi said coldly. Her eyes went fierce with anger and her posture became still as stone.

"I know how much you loved Sarah-"

"Love. I love her, she's my mother." Jessi told her icily. "Get out," she demanded again. "Get out of my apartment where I get the money, the food, and clean."

"And a roommate," Nicole added.

"It's my apartment."

"You can't handle all that responsibility along with school work."

"Yes, I can. I can do it better than you, at least."

"I'm sorry you're angry –"

"I'm not angry! I'm pissed off and I want you out!" Nicole looked Jessi hard in the eyes for a second and walked out.

After school, Amanda immediately has to go to the rack and Lori and Declan walk with her to meet Mark and Jackie. When they arrive Mark and Jackie are sitting there with solemn looks on their faces. They were talking about Cassidy.

"Hey, Lori," Mark says with a smile on his face. They kiss and hug at the same time somehow. Amanda goes behind the counter and pulls on her apron.

"That's disgusting."

"Oh, don't listen to her she's been bitten by rejection," Lori says in her usual sarcastic voice.

"Nate?" Mark asks.

"Oh, hell no, where have you been on the Trager lane?" Declan mocked teasingly.

"What do you mean?" Jackie asked with confusion in her eyes.

"Nate came in yesterday throwing a fit," Declan informed. "He was passed over Kyle and shit."

"Well he had good reason," Jackie said as Kyle walked in and suddenly everything got really quiet. Amanda went back to work waiting tables and making smoothies.

"Hey," Kyle said with a sigh. "Hi Mark, Jackie," he added at the end. Jackie nodded and Mark responded with a semi friendly hello. Kyle could feel the tension he brought with him and the guilt rushed through him. "I'm sorry," he wanted to say but he couldn't. He was sorry but it wasn't the most appropriate thing to say to them. It was too soon. He would explain – later.

Amanda went to Hillary who was sitting at the back of The Rack with a friend from school Amanda didn't recognize.

"Hey, guys." Amanda said as she pulled out the pad of paper. "What do you want?"

"A little sunshine, missy," Hillary ordered with a laugh. "What's between your breasts?"

"Nothing," Amanda said quickly as the offense sinked in. "It's just Kyle," she said soberly. "I asked for him back."

"Wait? You went begging for your old boyfriend?"

"I didn't exactly _beg_," Amanda said to defend herself. "I just love him and he loves me too, or at least I thought he did," she pondered as she thought over his words.

"Still, Mandy," Hillary began.

"Don't call me Mandy," Amanda corrected.

"Still, embrace your inner single independent woman! We are," Hillary said.

"Speak for yourself, I have a boyfriend," Hillary's friend said as she stood up and walked away.

"Sit down, girlie." Hillary said to invite Amanda and Amanda sat down after some reluctance and wasted time. "We need to stop thinking peculiar, peculiar, and we need to just hang! Have fun being single in a time where the dating economy is down. It'll bounce back up in the next… oh, ten years?"

"That's not funny."

"No, what's not funny is that," Hillary noted as she pointed a finger at Lori and Mark kissing at the front of the story.

"Not at all," Amanda agreed.

"Whoa – hold on, Kyle _killed _somebody?" Andy choked out finally. "An actual person – you sure it wasn't a little itsty bitsy spider or a fly?"

"Oh it was a person, alright, I saw it." Josh said as he swirled in his seat. "A real live – well, dead, person." He added.

"Oh my god," Andy said on the other side of the phone. "I never should have left when everything was getting so interesting!"

Below him is his parents, completely oblivious that anyone else is even home. Nicole hangs up on the phone as Stephen walks in.

"Your lover?"

"Jessi's new roommate," Nicole said with a smile.

"You're organizing Jessi's rooming situations? Don't you think you should let it go, you've already done enough."

"What does that mean?" Nicole asks in that voice that suggests Stephen could very well be sleeping on the couch tonight.

"Nothing," Stephen says as he takes hold of her arms and kisses her lips for a moment. "Nothing at all," he says again to calm her and Nicole is pretty easy to calm.

At The Rack Amanda has to go back to all of the couples and serve them their drinks that Lori and Mark drink out of with two straws.

"That's disgusting," Amanda wants to say but doesn't.

"Okay, so tonight, all of us are going to go out for pizza, right?" Jackie asks so that she can make sure.

"Why, you have another guy you need to see?" Declan teases her as he tickles and kisses her. Amanda wants to gag. Lori and Mark would like to join her even though they have a conjoined smoothie.

"Hey, Amanda, you should come," Jackie says to Amanda so she doesn't feel uncomfortable. Too late.

"Uh, that's probably not a good idea," Lori starts to say for her friends sake. "Amanda doesn't want to hang out with us," she adds as she sees Amanda's Oh I Thank Heaven For You look in her eyes.

"Why not? Come with us, Amanda, this place is new and its hot," Mark says.

"Don't say hot," Lori orders him with a hand on the chest.

"I'd rather not," Amanda agrees as she gives another couple a smoothie with a fake smile on her face.

"Oh, but you must!" Jackie squeals. "You would be the perfect accessory to the perfect night," she adds for comfort again but as always it just makes her even more uncomfortable.

"Okay," Amanda says as she gets busy with overly joyed and lip locking couples who want a smoothie for extra taste.

When Lori comes over to Amanda's house with Jackie later, all she can do is give puppy eyes.

"Hey Amanda!" Jackei says with a perky heart. "Ready?" Amanda glares at Lori.

"Sure," Amanda says when she sees her mother ready to pounce on her and slams the door. They go to a pizza place where the waiter spills the water on Amanda's lap and then her cheese falls off and on her shirt.

"Are you okay?" Jackie asked with sympathy. Everyone could tell something was wrong but didn't want to say exactly what it was.

"No, I'm going home," Amanda told them all as she stood up. "Or maybe just to the bathroom," she added as her mind changed.

"I'll go with you," Lori told her and abandoned Mark to talk to Declan by himself. They went into the bathroom and Amanda practically broke the towel container in the wall by slamming it so much. "Okay, little princess, what's wrong?"

"Kyle… that son of a…" Amanda sighed. She couldn't talk low of Kyle – she loved him too much. "I asked him back," she finally lets out.

"What? Why would you do that, you had Nate," Lori says without knowing all of the details of the night when Kyle killed Cassidy.

"No, Nate – he's a real…" Ugh, she couldn't form the words. "I think he was stalking Kyle or something and so I went to his apartment and he found me and hit me but then Jessi came and -" Amanda tried to get


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay, sorry for the bad ending to the last one - Belle (my computer) is messed up. I believe she got my cold.**

"No, Nate – he's a real…" Ugh, she couldn't form the words. "I think he was stalking Kyle or something and so I went to his apartment and he found me and hit me but then Jessi came and –" Amanda tried to get the rest out but the memory was too unreal for her to understand or believe herself. "Everything is just been so complicated for the past three years."

"Yeah, everything was complicated way before then it's just now coming to surface."

Jessi is at her apartment reading a book with the music on low in the background. Her face looks set as it usual does but this time it's set in a calmer and sweeter way. She's reading a paperback romance novel and thinking about Kyle and her as the main roles. Someone has to buzz, knock, call, and finally get a key from the landlord and got into the room after buzzing, calling, and knocking.

"Jessi?" Nicole calls out as she walks in. "Oh Jessi," she says as the relief flushes through her. Her eyes scan the cover of the novel. "Jessi?" She asks in a concerned, worried voice of a mother.

"Yes, _Nicole_," Jessi says coldly as her face hardens but doesn't look up. Someone walked in who was the same height as Nicole with long brown hair to her waist. Her skin was a little tan and her eyes were a metallic dark blue.

"Maria meet Jessi, Jessi," Jessi finally looked up and saw the new stranger in her home. "This is your new roommate, she'll help pay the bills and help around here for a place to stay."

"What? You cant do that, you cant kick me out and still act like you have some control over me you –"

"Jessi," Nicole said in her calm yet aggravated voice. "Be nice," she said and left her alone with her new roommate.

Not a smart move.

"Get out," Jessi growled at Maria.

"I would but I got nowhere else to go – listen hear, I know life is being a bitch towards you right now and I hate to make it harder but I need this… I have nowhere else to go."

"You mentioned that," Jessi said in a softer voice. She understood what that felt. "How did you get to being a destitute?"

"I had a miscarriage, my boyfriend left me for my best friend, my parents disowned me because I got pregnant and I couldn't face them and tell them I lost the baby. It would have been a girl."

Jessi didn't say anything for a while, but after some speculation of how Nicole disowned her, and how she felt when she thought Sarah left her, and when Kyle was with Amanda when she was in love with him and imagining it all just wash away from her. It was unbearable to even think about.

"I'm sorry," she said and you can tell she truly meant it by the gentle look in her eyes and how her voice got all soft and low.

"Thanks," Maria said. "This might be the beginning of a great friendship," she added sarcastically. Jessi gave her a weird look. "I'm kidding," Maria said in a teasing voice. They both smiled and laughed a little awkwardly.

The lights were dim in the police station. A tall and burly man sat behind a desk. He didn't look like a guy who should be behind a desk, more like one to be punching through it. His hair was short with black waves and skin was darker than the night sky. The two big brown stars he called eyes could penetrate any wound. Those eyes stared intently onto a computer screen. On that computer screen was Cassidy's file.

With a few things missing.

Kyle went to Cassidy's funeral and dressed in black. Jessi went there with him for his request and everyone there either spit at them or gave them dirty looks. Most of them called Kyle a bastard behind his back. Everyone who called Kyle a bastard called Cassidy as jackass. It worked out perfectly.

When Cassidy was about to be six feet under, Kyle put a yellow rose there. In some way before he killed him, they were kind of friends. In a new, lower and less respectable definition of the word. Jessi put a black rose on there for laughs. A few people did chuckle which made her smile. As soon as they were sure he was buried, Kyle walked out of there with his arm around Jessi's black dress.

They went to her apartment. Maria was at work. She worked at a few different places. They weren't considered "jobs" but favors with money included. She knew someone at a floral arrangement, grocery store, vinyl collectors place, a few thrift and used book stores that didn't mind using her but she was officially working as a secretary at the police station.

Kyle leaned into the couch in a way that made Jessi want to snuggle up to him and just hold him. Following those hormones of her, she did. He let her snuggle into his side and lay her head on his chest. His arms instinctively went around her waist and pulled her closer. His lips found his way to hers and they kissed soon enough.

It didn't last long. Kyle came up for air and kissed Jessi's nose, and her forehead. Jessi growled with impatience and without saying another word Kyle kissed her again to please her. When he tried to break free for some air she would let him. She wanted him more with every touch.

Gasping, he finally got free of her hold. Both of their hair was messy and their breathing came in short, wild gasps.

"This seems like a bad ending to a horror film. Guy kills guy, guy goes to funeral, and as the last scene, guy and girl make out." Kyle thought outloud with disgust. He didn't know what had happened to him. What had happened to the guy Nicole ever saw in him or Amanda either.

"Well, lets give our audience a fair ending," Jessi said as she pulled his face to hers. They kissed once before Kyle pulled away again.

"Jessi…" he started as he cupped her face in one hand and held onto her with his free arm. "I love you," he breathed. Those three words breathed the life into Jessi without any knowledge of the outside world. Being damaged, coming in first, not anyone or anything could get between them anymore. They were meant to be together, and finally, Kyle saw that.

"I love you, Kyle," she told him. "It only took you longer than everyone else to realize it," she joked which made him laugh. She was happy she could make him laugh. Jessi would do anything to hear that lyrical laughter of his. "I've been in love with you for so long… I cant even remember the day it appeared. The day I _just _knew we were meant to be together."

"Yeah, I think for me," Kyle started. "It was when I saw you in the red dress."

"Was it sexifying enough for you?" Jessi joked knowing he wouldn't understand. Changing the subject she started a new one. "I know it was hard to go today… to Cassidy's funeral but I want you to know I'm proud of you."

"You're proud of a killer?" Kyle said in a louder and appalled voice.

"No," Jessi said to him softly. "I know what you had to do and if you hadn't… well I would have, and then it wouldn't have been self defense and we wouldn't have seen each other in a long time but…" She struggled to find the right words to relieve him from this pain. "I'm proud of you for being so brave to go the service today knowing _every_one would want to massacre you."

"Interesting choice of words," Kyle muttered under his breath.

"_I _thought they were a lovely choice of words," she said as she kissed him once more on the lips.

As Josh worked at The Rack a new guy walked in and ordered a drink. They started talking and learned they both liked G-Force, and Josh even told him a little bit about Andy and the new guy stood by the counter holding the cup of fruit in his hand as they talked.

"Okay," Josh smiled as he defeated in an argument about the best videogame ever. "So, as a new and humbly respectable friend –"

"Josh?" The new guy said as he finished his sentence.

"How did you know my name?"

"Nametag," the new guy muttered Romeo under his breath but Josh didn't hear him. "I'm Max Curtis." He told him. "I just moved back here so my mom can take care of her dead sister's belongings," he explained with a half grin. "Part of the reason I get to be out of the house so much, mom doesn't want me messing around with those 'antiques'."

"Tough," Josh said.

"I'm Kell, short for Kellan."

"Can I call you Kelly?"

"No," Kell snapped fiercely.

"I could lose my job," Mark came up with to say as between Lori's kisses.

"You _could _lose a girlfriend if you don't just _rel_ax." Lori whined as she brought his face closer to hers. He kissed her a few times before breaking the moment again.

"What should I tell your dad slash my boss when I am late to work because I was groping his daughter? "

"Tell him his daughter was being very seductive and was threatening those cute glasses of yours," Lori said in between kisses.

"Is it me or are you just attracted to my glasses?" Mark joked as he kissed her back once and for all.

Josh goes home for his lunch and play G-Force with Kell. Kell wins the first few times before he teaches Josh his tricks. Josh is late for going back to work and Kell has to go back to his mother. Nicole watches them depart.

"Josh and his new friend," she mutters into the phone to Stephen.

"He needs friends," Stephen says as he marks orders and demands for people.

"Yeah but after Andy is god I don't know if it's the best coping mechanism for him right now."

"You think he is rebounding with a _guy_?" Stephen asked in a disturbed voice.


	7. Chapter 7

Foss is around. He's lurking in the shadows of the police station. When he arrives at Detective Knight's desk he uses a piece of steel to pick the lock of his evidence drawer. Negative points for going against regulation rules. In there was a cell phone, lap top, few journals of scientific words Detective Knight couldn't wrap his head around. Foss stuck his flashlight into his mouth as he stuffed Cassidy's belongings into his duffel bag and replaced them with a computer, cell phone, and journals that he stole from dead or living people.

As he is committing yet _another _crime, Kyle is elsewhere.

With Jessi. Kyle's body is expanded beside Jessi's on her bed. Jessi is sleeping soundly with her head on his arm and is snuggling closely to Kyle as he sleeps also. His arm has fit itself loosely around Jessi's waist and his head is on a comfy pillow with his lips not too far to Jessi's. In the background a cell phone starts to vibrate. It rings and rings making the person calling very aggravated.

"This is Kyle, leave a message," Kyle said on his answering machine.

"Kyle," Lori hissed in a low voice into her cell phone. "It's eleven at night, and Nicole is one second to calling a task force if you are not in your tub when she comes down to see if you're feeling well because you have the flu. God, where the hell are you?" Her voice accidentally raises an octave. "Kyle," she hisses again. "Get back here, _now_!" Then the door behind her opens and Nicole opens the door while holding a bowl of soup and an apple.

"Lori, what are you doing in Kyle's room?"

"Ugh, just making sure everything is spring clean when he's done."

"Done doing what?" Nicole asks as she closes the door and sets the food down.

"Done puking his guts out, he's in the bathroom upstairs, completely foul," Lori lies.

"I thought Stephen was taking a shower," Nicole said in a confused voice.

"Oh, well maybe Kyle got out early. He probably went in the back to find a… tree or something," Lori lies again with some grace left. "I'll go find him," she adds hastily and walks out. "Never lying for something I don't know about, _again_." Lori says to herself.

At the apartment Maria walks in and dumps her book bag on the kitchen counter.

"Jessi?" She calls out into the darkness of the apartment. She turns on a lamp and walks into Jessi's room. There she is, and so is a really attractive boy that Maria likes. "Очень очень интересно" which translates to very very interesting in Russian. Maria whistles and shuts the door behind her.

Kyle is a light sleeper so he automatically responds to the closing of a door. His head moves a little bit and he accidently moves his arm so Jessi's head snuggles into his chest. Instinctively he kisses her head of hair as he tucks her under the covers for bed. He kisses her on the forehead and then lightly on the lips before leaving.

Maria is sitting on the couch with the news on the TV.

"Oh, hello," Maria says as she smoothes her hair. "I'm Maria, Jessi's new roommate. You must be her new boyfriend."

Kyle doesn't say anything at first and then gets up the courage. "Yes, I'm her boyfriend," he holds out his hand for her to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Kyle tells her. Maria takes pleasure from this and takes his hand longer than necessary.

"Mutual," Maria tells of herself. She smiles flirtatiously.

"Uh, I have to go," he tells her as the moment gets awkward. "It was nice to meet you…"

"Maria," she says dreamily.

"Maria," Kyle says with a charming smile.

"Oh – uh, do you have a name?" Maria asks as Kyle moves to leave.

"Kyle," he tells her and then jets out. Once he gets home Nicole bombards him as he enters.

"Oh Kyle," she breaths with relief as she sees him. "How are you feeling?" Lori is coming in from the door in the kitchen and mouths 'fake flu' to him.

"Uh, not so good," Kyle acts. He's a good actor. "I think I just need to lie down," then he adds hastily, "in my tub."

"Oh it's fine," Nicole says as her hand flutters to his arm. "Kyle, are you sure you don't need anything? You have soup and an apple waiting for you in your room."

"Thanks Nicole," Kyle kisses her on the cheek in a very son to mother manor and smiles to Lori behind Nicole. Then he leaves them there. Nicole turns to go back to the kitchen and Lori quietly runs into the other room without being seen. Nicole goes to the fridge and then to the stove. She makes some chamomile tea to help her sleep. Lori tip toes to the stairs and then watches Nicole in all of her glory before running upstairs.

Josh is in his bedroom wishing it wasn't one in the morning in Cleveland. He was wishing Andy wasn't in Ohio and was with him, in his bed, and close to him. So close he could feel her breath on his neck. He wishes.

In the morning Jessi wakes up to find Kyle not there. Her mind goes wild with all of the possibilites of places he could have gone. Then she sees that the sun is up and that it is six in the morning. She turns onto her back and runs her hands lazily through her hands. _He went home, _she thinks to herself. Sighing, she gets out of bed and ready to take a shower. As soon as her morning ritual is complete she meets Maria in the kitchen. Coffee is boiling, bagels are being toasted and bananas are peeled.

"Good morning Maria," Jessi says. She is still not too thrilled about a roommate but she could have done worse. Or Nicole could have, if you think about it like that.

"Good morning, втихомолку хранитель," Maria greets as her mouth meets the coffee in her hands.

"Should I know what that means?" Jessi asks as she takes a cup of coffee for herself.

"Its Russian for secret keeper," Maria informs her as she takes a bite of her bagel. Her mouth is vague but her eyes tell a whole new story. Jessi doesn't want to trap herself by asking what a secret keeper is so she keeps her mouth shut. After some time of Jessi getting herself a bowl of cereal, Maria goes on. "I met Kyle," Jessi stiffens. "He's really cute, nice ass too." Her eyes go wide and she raises her eyebrows.

"Kyle is not for your pleasure, Maria," Jessi tells her new roommate.

"Oh I know, he's for yours," Maria says as she takes one last sip of coffee and walks out. At school, Hillary and Lori are eating breakfast while Josh hangs out with his new friend.

"That's your sister?" Kell gasps as he looks at Hillary. "Whoa," is all he says.

"Dude!" Josh says with a punch in Kell's arm. "You're looking at Hillary, the brunette is Lori," he corrects of Kell.

"Oh," Kell's face falls. "Well what about him? I've seen him at The Rack," Kell says when he sees Kyle.

"Oh, Kyle, yeah. He used to date Amanda, the blonde who works at The Rack, but now he is secretly dating Jessi."

"Secretly dating?" Kell asks.

Josh puts a finger up to his mouth and tells him, "Shh, it's a secret," Kell finds Josh a little strange. A little queer strange. He still can't believe he has a girlfriend, in fact he thinks he made it up. After all, who moves to Cleveland anymore? Definitely not a cancer survivor with two lesbian mothers.

Kyle and Jessi are at the breakfast line in school. Jessi is in front of him standing in an awkward, side position so the only way to look at him is to turn her head a little to the right.

"I'm sorry for not leaving a note," Kyle told her in a hushed voice. "It was late, and I needed to get home. I'm sorry," he sincerely apologized.

"Could have at least left a note," Jessi told him in that stubborn way of hers. "I was… I was worried for you," she finally admitted.

"There's no need to be," Kyle assured her as he touched her hand. He liked that she worried, that she cared for him. It made him smile, and he knew it was how she showed her love. "I love you," he promised her.

"I love you too," Jessi told him as she stared into his eyes. Kyle hugged her tightly, not caring who was watching.

"Are you sure it's a 'secret'?" Kell asked Josh at the other end of the cafeteria.

With a confused and startled look on his face, Josh said, "I thought it was," in an appalled voice. The first bell rang so Josh and Kell went to first hour biology. Hillary arrived late to her English Lit class. Lori sat next to Amanda in her English Lit class that she also shared with Kyle. Amanda still didn't know about him and Jessi. She didn't see them at the cafeteria for breakfast. Jessi went to first hour algebra on Kyle's wishes.

In English class they were starting the year off with Romeo and Juliet.

"Star crossed lovers!" Mr. Harmon exclaimed. Mr. Harmon was young for his age, with a clean shaven look but baggy jeans with a sweatshirt on. "Passion, fury, the fierce passion of first love," Kyle and Amanda gave each other an awkward glance at that word. Lori noticed. "Alright, who wants to start out?" Mr. Harmon asked but no one raised their hand. "Okay, well why don't we assign roles for the entire novel?" He suggested and took out a spiral notebook of his with all of the characters names on the first page. "Okay, Romeo, oh sweet Romeo… who should be him?" Mr. Harmon pursued as he walked through the aisles. "Kyle Trager it is!" He said in a show hosts voice. Kyle looked up for a second with those soft blue eyes of his and then tapped his pen on his notebook. "Okay, and for the fair, beautiful, very chaste Juliet… Amanda Bloom!" He said Amanda's voice in that same show hosts voice. Amanda looked at him with wild, unforgiving eyes.

Oh shit was all she could think at that moment. Mr. Harmon casted all of the other roles and wrote them all down. They got study guides for the book and discussed first loves with the class.

"Let's see what our Juliet thinks of the matter," he offers as he pronounces Juliet as Jule- E- Et.

"Uh, first loves," Amanda said to herself. "Well, they're pretty powerful," is all she can say about them. Then she looks at Kyle who is staring back at her. "The feelings never leave, you always love that person – no matter what and no matter whom they are. Even if you've moved on, they stay in your heart," Amanda is the first to look away. Again, Lori is the only one who notices it. Maybe it's because she is looking for it.

Where Josh and Kell is it's just as interesting. They're lab partners and beside them are two girls who are partnered up. One is a petite pacific islander with pink highlights in her hair, and the other is a little taller, around Josh's height with long red hair. The red haired one keeps looking at Josh out of the corner of her brown eyes.

"Josh –"Kell pokes Josh in the arm. "Red head," Josh looks at the red headed girl who is staring at them and then back at his work.

"Yeah, what about her?" Josh huffs.

"Kinda cute," Kell informs him. "I'd go for it," he supports.

"Why don't you?" Josh asks of him when he looks into Kell's dark blue eyes.

"Because she is staring _at_ you, my friend," Kell smiles. "Come on," he laughs lightly.

"No," Josh says without a laugh. "I have a _girl_friend who satisfies all of my needs just fine. Better than red head could ever do." Josh whispers so the girl doesn't hear. Then there is a crackle on the intercom and their principal is speaking to all of them

"Students of Bayview High school, we are going on a temporary lockdown." He announces.


	8. Chapter 8

"Aw shit," Lori mumbles as she writes some lyrics in the margins of her notebook. "This is just great."

"At least you're not being stuck in a room with your ex," Amanda says under her breath as she sees him sneak his cell phone under his desk and text someone. "Who is he texting already? I mean, it's not like he knows a whole lot of people. He knows me, you, Declan, Josh, Hillary, and… Jessi." She snarls as she says Jessi's name.

"He's probably just texting Declan, complaining about this new lock in," Lori says even though she knows Declan is in first hour P.E.

But Kyle wasn't texting Declan, he was texting Jessi. You okay? Kyle asks Jessi via cell phone. Jessi is in algebra class with her psycho mental patient teacher who is still teaching class and sneaks her cell phone out. She texts him back yeah, just fine Dad she mocks him with. In Algebra class they don't get to finish the lesson because of all the blondes there won't shut up their hysterics and the preppy guys won't stop teasing them.

"Maybe it's a bomb thing, like someone writing bomb 9/28 on the wall of the stair case, that's happened you know," this guy Micah jokes.

"Or it could be guns – someone with a bb gun or a _real _gun," Micah's friend Callum smirks. The girls around them squirm and squeal out of fright and terror. Micah and Callum smile and do a high five under their desks. Jessi looks at them the corner of their eyes and mutters Mongrels under her breath.

"Couldn't agree more with you," the guy next to Jessi says. He is kind of cute, as tall as Kyle with long brown hair to his shoulders. He has a summer tan and dark brown eyes that almost look black. "So disgusting," he says to himself as he doodles something in the corner of his notebook.

"Yeah, they couldn't be more… ugh," Jessi shudders and then sends another text to Kyle. I Miss you she sends him and then gets a reply within a few seconds. I Miss You Too, Love he sent her.

"Boyfriend?" The new guy asks Jessi.

"Ugh, something likes that," she says with a smile hidden beneath her words.

"Well does 'something like that' have a name?" The new guy pestered.

"Are you usually this annoying?" Jessi asks him and the guy smiles cutely.

"It's my middle name," he tells her with a smirk.

"What's your first name?" Jessi asks, now looking him in the eyes. He smiles a little wider and his eyes sparkle. He _is_ cute.

"It's Ari," he says. His name sounds like. "Ari Richardson," he adds after he widens his smile.

"Jessi Hollander," Jessi tells him as her eyes hide under her eyelashes. She doesn't know it, but she's flirting. She doesn't know it, but she's screwed now. Kyle is back at his English room where they are reading Shakespeare. They've gotten into the first few scenes of the play and now Romeo and Juliet are meeting for the first time.

Kyle ducks his head and tries to avoid Amanda's eyes as he speaks his lines. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this; my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." After his lines he sneaks a look at Amanda for a quick second. Amanda blushes and continues on with her lines.

"Good pilgrim, you do wrong with your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers kiss," she says so sweetly it makes Mr. Harmon swoons at the sound of it. Amanda blushes bright pink and looks down at her folded hands.

"Have not saint's lips and holy palmers too?"

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer," Amanda says in a voice that truly belongs to Juliet.

"This is too unreal," Lori mutters under her breath.

Declan is in P.E. running track over and over again in that circular rotation that would make any normal person dizzy. Two girls who did use that excuse along with cramps and PMS are sitting on the benches swooning after him. They are both average height with long brown hair, one is pure Russian without the accent and the other has full lips that make her Italian.

"Oh, is he hot or what?" The Russian girl says dreamily.

"Yeah, he is, but his friend, Kyle, is _so _much more gorgeous. I mean, Declan is hot but Kyle is – woo!" The girl fans herself as she leans into the bench behind her. They continue to gaze at Declan as he continues to do his laps.

In English class, Hillary is fighting to be casted as Juliet. "My only love sprung from my only hate!" She says passionately in her high peaked blonde voice. "Too early seen unknown, and known to hate! Prodigious birth of love it is to me that I must love a loathed enemy," she says as she dreams of the satin and silk gowns Juliet would wear and how amazing her hair would look with French braids and an Italian mask covering her face.

"That was…" Her English teacher struggles to find the right words. "Interesting," she finally comes up with. Hillary smiles and brushes her hair off her shoulder.

In the main office the principal is there with Detective Knight. There's a very nice difference between them. You have the principal's small shoulders and thin physique that's growing wrinkle and Detective Knight, with broad shoulders, a burly build and dark skin. They continue to stare each other down for a while.

"Well okay, Detective… Marcus is it?"

"I prefer Detective Knight," the detective says.

"Okay, well, you want to inspect our lockers for drugs," the principal says as he looks at some papers. "Well, you have a warrant, a drug dog there," he says as he nods toward the huge golden dog named Sally by the doorway. "That I'm allergic too," the principal mutters under the breath to himself. "So there isnt much I can do to stop you," he says and gives him the skeleton keys. "Knock yourself out," he smirks.

"Thank you, Andrew," Detective Knight says as the principal stiffens in his leather chair. He takes Sally and starts rounding the corner heading to locker 1223, the place of Kyle Trager, and then he is going to check 1089 that belongs to a Jessica Hollander.

In English class Kyle is still Romeo and selling it perfectly. The bell rings but they are still on lockdown so Mr. Harmon lets them take cards out, cell phones, cameras, and iPods. Kyle takes out his cell phone and texts Jessi. Hello my Juliet he sends to her but she doesn't reply back

"You lived in _Hawaii _and you didn't like it?" Jessi asks with pure shock.

"It's purely for tourists who won't spend more than a week there, trust me," Ari promises to her. "So have you lived in Seattle your whole life?" He inquires.

"Yeah, my whole life," Jessi says with a smidge of awkwardness. Ever since she escaped her tub. Her cell phone vibrates in her pocket for a while before Ari tells her about it.

"Your pants are vibrating," he tells her and Jessi fishes out her cell phone to read her text. What the hell art thou Romeo???? She sends him and then seconds later he responds. And you art thou heaven Juliet he told her. "What's going on?" Ari asks as he peers over to look. Jessi flips the phone shut before he can peak.

"Oh nothing, just waiting to go to English."


	9. Chapter 9

"At least you're not being stuck in a room with your ex," Amanda says under her breath as she sees him sneak his cell phone under his desk and text someone. "Who is he texting already? I mean, it's not like he knows a whole lot of people. He knows me, you, Declan, Josh, Hillary, and… Jessi." She snarls as she says Jessi's name.

"He's probably just texting Declan, complaining about this new lock in," Lori says even though she knows Declan is in first hour P.E.

But Kyle wasn't texting Declan, he was texting Jessi. You okay? Kyle asks Jessi via cell phone. Jessi is in algebra class with her psycho mental patient teacher who is still teaching class and sneaks her cell phone out. She texts him back yeah, just fine Dad she mocks him with. In Algebra class they don't get to finish the lesson because of all the blondes there won't shut up their hysterics and the preppy guys won't stop teasing them.

"Maybe it's a bomb thing, like someone writing bomb 9/28 on the wall of the stair case, that's happened you know," this guy Micah jokes.

"Or it could be guns – someone with a bb gun or a _real _gun," Micah's friend Callum smirks. The girls around them squirm and squeal out of fright and terror. Micah and Callum smile and do a high five under their desks. Jessi looks at them the corner of their eyes and mutters Mongrels under her breath.

"Couldn't agree more with you," the guy next to Jessi says. He is kind of cute, as tall as Kyle with long brown hair to his shoulders. He has a summer tan and dark brown eyes that almost look black. "So disgusting," he says to himself as he doodles something in the corner of his notebook.

"Yeah, they couldn't be more… ugh," Jessi shudders and then sends another text to Kyle. I Miss you she sends him and then gets a reply within a few seconds. I Miss You Too, Love he sent her.

"Boyfriend?" The new guy asks Jessi.

"Ugh, something likes that," she says with a smile hidden beneath her words.

"Well does 'something like that' have a name?" The new guy pestered.

"Are you usually this annoying?" Jessi asks him and the guy smiles cutely.

"It's my middle name," he tells her with a smirk.

"What's your first name?" Jessi asks, now looking him in the eyes. He smiles a little wider and his eyes sparkle. He _is_ cute.

"It's Ari," he says. His name sounds like. "Ari Richardson," he adds after he widens his smile.

"Jessi Hollander," Jessi tells him as her eyes hide under her eyelashes. She doesn't know it, but she's flirting. She doesn't know it, but she's screwed now. Kyle is back at his English room where they are reading Shakespeare. They've gotten into the first few scenes of the play and now Romeo and Juliet are meeting for the first time.

Kyle ducks his head and tries to avoid Amanda's eyes as he speaks his lines. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this; my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." After his lines he sneaks a look at Amanda for a quick second. Amanda blushes and continues on with her lines.

"Good pilgrim, you do wrong with your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers kiss," she says so sweetly it makes Mr. Harmon swoons at the sound of it. Amanda blushes bright pink and looks down at her folded hands.

"Have not saint's lips and holy palmers too?"

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer," Amanda says in a voice that truly belongs to Juliet.

"This is too unreal," Lori mutters under her breath.

Declan is in P.E. running track over and over again in that circular rotation that would make any normal person dizzy. Two girls who did use that excuse along with cramps and PMS are sitting on the benches swooning after him. They are both average height with long brown hair, one is pure Russian without the accent and the other has full lips that make her Italian.

"Oh, is he hot or what?" The Russian girl says dreamily.

"Yeah, he is, but his friend, Kyle, is _so _much more gorgeous. I mean, Declan is hot but Kyle is – woo!" The girl fans herself as she leans into the bench behind her. They continue to gaze at Declan as he continues to do his laps.

In English class, Hillary is fighting to be casted as Juliet. "My only love sprung from my only hate!" She says passionately in her high peaked blonde voice. "Too early seen unknown, and known to hate! Prodigious birth of love it is to me that I must love a loathed enemy," she says as she dreams of the satin and silk gowns Juliet would wear and how amazing her hair would look with French braids and an Italian mask covering her face.

"That was…" Her English teacher struggles to find the right words. "Interesting," she finally comes up with. Hillary smiles and brushes her hair off her shoulder.

In the main office the principal is there with Detective Knight. There's a very nice difference between them. You have the principal's small shoulders and thin physique that's growing wrinkle and Detective Knight, with broad shoulders, a burly build and dark skin. They continue to stare each other down for a while.

"Well okay, Detective… Marcus is it?"

"I prefer Detective Knight," the detective says.

"Okay, well, you want to inspect our lockers for drugs," the principal says as he looks at some papers. "Well, you have a warrant, a drug dog there," he says as he nods toward the huge golden dog named Sally by the doorway. "That I'm allergic too," the principal mutters under the breath to himself. "So there isnt much I can do to stop you," he says and gives him the skeleton keys. "Knock yourself out," he smirks.

"Thank you, Andrew," Detective Knight says as the principal stiffens in his leather chair. He takes Sally and starts rounding the corner heading to locker 1223, the place of Kyle Trager, and then he is going to check 1089 that belongs to a Jessica Hollander.

In English class Kyle is still Romeo and selling it perfectly. The bell rings but they are still on lockdown so Mr. Harmon lets them take cards out, cell phones, cameras, and iPods. Kyle takes out his cell phone and texts Jessi. Hello my Juliet he sends to her but she doesn't reply back

"You lived in _Hawaii _and you didn't like it?" Jessi asks with pure shock.

"It's purely for tourists who won't spend more than a week there, trust me," Ari promises to her. "So have you lived in Seattle your whole life?" He inquires.

"Yeah, my whole life," Jessi says with a smidge of awkwardness. Ever since she escaped her tub. Her cell phone vibrates in her pocket for a while before Ari tells her about it.

"Your pants are vibrating," he tells her and Jessi fishes out her cell phone to read her text. What the hell art thou Romeo???? She sends him and then seconds later he responds. And you art thou heaven Juliet he told her. "What's going on?" Ari asks as he peers over to look. Jessi flips the phone shut before he can peak.

"Oh nothing, just waiting to go to English."

Josh and Kell are done with their lab. With both of their average smart brains they are half of what Kyle could be. Okay, maybe a little less than half but it was pretty damn close because they were the first ones to finish and then they did it again in fear that they had failed. Soon enough everyone finishes and then everyone starts talking about the lock in.

"Maybe its one of those where they search for drugs in the lockers," one nerd said which made most of the jocks in the room go stiff.

"Who knows, someone could have brought a gun," a very worried girl gasped out. She had braces and glasses and looked so scary to Josh, even Kell.

"Or a bomb," another chipped in.

"Is it just a test run?" Another guy asked, only to hope that his drugs wouldn't get busted.

"Didn't say," someone from the front added. Josh and Kell gave each other a look.

"It's probably nothing," Kell said to everyone. "They do lock downs for anything, it could be some cripple falling down in the hallway," he explained with mock sympathy. Everyone gave him a weird and exasperated look and then started listing off over the top ideas. People watch too many cop shows, its what worries them all. They should have seen Adventureland and learned to have the weed worry for you. Ha.

"Uh, Josh, you know that girlfriend of yours?" Kell pointed out for a moment as the red headed girl walked over.

"Yeah," Josh said with a bit of annoyance that Kell didn't believe him.

"Well, she's going to get a little competition," Kell said as he drummed his fingers on the black top of the table. The red head came and sat at Josh's end of the table.

"So, are you guys spooked about what's going on?" She asked them.

"No, not really," Josh said without looking up at her. Anyone can notice that her big, wide brown eyes are peering at him pleading for one glance.

"Yeah, it sucks, I feel like a prisoner on G-Force," this makes both of their heads perk up.

"G-Force?" Both of the guys gawk. "Ugh," Kell says under his breath as he presses his lips. "You… you play G-Force?"

"Yeah, its like my religion," she says with a shrug.

"That's really cool," Josh says for the first time as he looks in her eyes. There is a moment of awkwardness in the girl's head but in Josh's it is completely normal.

"Yeah, so since we all play the beautiful game, do you want to join me sometime? Skip lunch or P.E. and just sneak into the computer room. My brother can do some computer stuff so we can play. He's really cool like that," she explains in further detail.

"Sure, that would be cool," Josh told her in what she thought was a hopeful voice.

"Alright, maybe we can get something to eat afterwards, I'm always hungry after a kill," she flirts with him. Kell looks at her and then back at Josh and then back at the nameless girl.

"Okay, I'm always up for something at Zeeks."

"Okay, G-Force, then Zeeks, we could go see a movie, maybe the I Love You, Man one, that looked good."

"Yeah it did," Josh said.

"Okay, it's a date then," she told him and out of nowhere Josh's eyes widened so hugely that they almost looked like they would pop out of their sockets. Before the girl left, she came back and told them, "Oh yeah, I'm Kara by the way." She left their table and Kell punched Josh in the arm in that friendly guy way.

"Wha – Ow! God, what did you do that for?"

"For kicks man, you got a date."

"No, its just G-Force and pizza," Josh told him. "Besides, I have a girlfriend." Kell raised his eyebrows and then motioned toward Kara and her friends. They were in a group, all smiling and looking at Josh in that way that tells a guy he's the center of the conversation. "I _do _have a girlfriend."

During English class Lori and Amanda are still chummy in the corner of the classroom.

"That's it, I cant take it," Amanda said. "I have to talk to Kyle," she said in her sweet voice and looked to Lori for help.

"No, Amanda, do not go down that road, it's a bad route and a common crash," Lori disagreed but Amanda didn't listen to her at all and went to go sit by Kyle in the seat in front of him.

"Hey," Amanda said with a smile and that twinkle in her eyes.

"Hi," Kyle said with a friendly smile. Amanda took that smile the wrong way and continued to sit there.

"So are you acing all of your classes so far?" Amanda joked.

"I don't know yet," Kyle said. "I'll let you know," he added once he got the joke. Then he looked at his cell phone to see if Jessi sent him a text message. She hadn't. "How are all of your classes going?" He asked Amanda.

"Pretty good, band is good."

"What about the piano?"

"Taking a little hiatus," Amanda admits. "Just for a little while," she explains. "It just doesn't feel right, you know?" Kyle felt uncomfortable now and murmured his reply.

"Yeah, I know." He told her in a sad voice.

In Josh and Kell's class Josh waits until Kara is by herself. It takes a long time and when she is its only for a short amount of time but he takes it.

"Uh, Kara?" He asks as Kara gets up from her back pack. Kara turns around and Josh realizes she is cute, she's just not Andi. "Look, about our date," he begins but doesn't know where to go after that.

"Yeah," Kara says hoping that he wants to make it tonight.

"See when we were talking I didn't know it was a date and so I-I. See I have a girlfriend. She moved but we're still together," Kara looked sad now. "Kara you're really sweet and cute and seem really nice and I would like to hang out just not as a date." He says in the nicest way he can.

"Sure," is all she replies with.

Outside in the hallway Detective Knight finds Kyle's locker and hides a tracer in Adam Baylin's ring. The broken string hangs in Kyle's jacket pocket. That morning it got loose at the dining table so he put it in their because no one could fix it then. When he finds Jessi's locker he puts her tracer in the key chain of her purse. He leaves the school grounds as soon as the lock down is lifted.


	10. Chapter 10

**It's been a while - I know, I know, but in my defense things have been weird - lots of drama and lots of books**

**Wintergirls, Catherine Hardwicke's Biography of On Twilight, Fruit Baskets No. 17, Night World Vol. 3, and Crank to be specific**

**and ex boyfriends cheating on long lasting best friends dating new friends**

Amanda is working on a Saturday. Every day she has to work is unjust to her. Especially on days when Jessi and Kyle are snuggling it up in their table behind the glass walls. They sit opposite each other with their drinks in hand. Kyle sets his drink down and Jessi reaches for his hand with her free one. Amanda's gut and heart get tangled together, she feels like she is going to puke but instead carries on like a good girl.

"What are they talking about?" Amanda muses out loud and then her customer looks at her weirdly. The customer is a few inches taller than Kyle with long black hair and a tan that you have to be born with. His name is Ari.

"Uh," he smiles that cute, handsome smile of his. "I'll have something with blueberries in it," he tells Amanda and she nods and turns back to work and thinking about Jessi and Kyle. She hands Ari his smoothie and Ari notices Jessi and Kyle too. He makes his way over there and stands beside their table.

"Jessi!" Ari exclaims when he sees Jessi. "How you been doing?"

"Good," Jessi says. Ari cant feel the tension in the air, but Jessi and Kyle can. "You?"

"Bored, but you know the story," and Jessi does know the story. He told her during the lock down. Ari and Jessi have become good friends during the last few days, seeing as how Ari seems to be the only cultivated peer in her class, beside herself, anyway.

"Yeah," Jessi smiled.

"Yeah, so later I could use some company, are willing to volunteer?"

"Anytime," Jessi promised. With a smile Ari calculated his chances of getting alone with her.

"So, now a good time? I have my Vespa outside, if you want to see it," he offered.

"Sure," Jessi looked at Kyle with a good bye glance. She wasn't trying to make him jealous, but Ari was and it was working. Declan noticed this whole incident and walks over to Kyle's table. He sits in Jessi's seat and looks at Kyle with wild, wide eyes.

"Woah, buddy buddy," he exclaims with passion. "What was that?"

"Jessi and Ari," Kyle says in his cute, jealous way. "What a –"

"Dick," Declan ended it for him. He had a serious look in his eyes. "Kyle, that guy just made play on your girl."

"Play?"

"Yeah, and she went with him. That doesn't bother you in the slightest?" And then Declan saw that it did. "Oh Kyle, okay first rule in relationships – never let another guy take your game. If he wins, you lose."

"Like in basketball?"

"Exactly like in basketball, look to the rest of the world, to Amanda and everyone, they think you are either single or rebounding. He doesn't know that and so… You should watch out if you want to keep Jessi," as Declan said this Kyle was looking out the window to see Jessi and Ari talking over the motorcycle in front of the store. In the pit of his stomach fumes started to rise. He wanted to kill Ari.

Amanda was still staring at Kyle. She was looking back at Jessi and the new guy and thought that she might still have a chance. Hillary was just coming in and went over to Amanda and started talking.

"Hey girly," Hillary said with much chipperness in her blonde voice.

"Hi Hillary," Amanda responds when she sees Hillary but it sounds like a question. Hillary looks to where Amanda is staring. At Jessi and Ari.

"Hmm, cutie," Hillary comments. "Actually, he's kind of hot. I can see why she digs him," she says and then looks at Amanda's hopeful expression. "What are you thinking?" Hillary intrigues with a smile.

"Nothing, its just… if Jessi finds a new fascination besides Kyle we can get back together. Kyle can be mine again," she thinks to herself softly.

"Oh Mandy, you need a guy yourself. You cant keep pining for Kyle – he's moved on, to a new girl and now you need to also." She points out.

"What do you mean, he's moved on?" Amanda asks, now completely uninterested in even looking like she is working.

"Well he has Jessi now, and they're supposedly soul mates and what not," Hillary says but then she takes in Amanda's sad and sullen look. "Oh, you didn't know," it wasn't a question but an observation in itself. "Okay, well, then tonight we rebound. You need a smile on that cute face of yours," Hillary tries to persuade.

"No, no, I am okay," Amanda lies.

"Oh, I'm sorry Amanda, I had a blonde moment," Amanda retains herself from saying that she's lived a life full of blonde moments. Amanda continues to work and waves goodbye when Kyle leaves. Kyle waves back out of politeness. He wonders to himself if this was how she felt before. Right now Kyle feels like wringing Ari's neck and… he didn't know if he just wanted to lock Jessi in his room so he could keep her to himself without this jealousy issue or just taking her in his arms and kissing her right then and there to put _Ari _in his place. But no, he wouldn't, because he was the good guy, the nice guy, and the boyfriend that didn't get jealous or possessive.

Jessi looks confused as she sees Kyle and Declan walking out.

"Where you two going?" Jessi asks with her girlfriend concern.

"Just to the gym to play some ball," Declan informs her so Kyle doesn't blow a fuse.

"Oh, maybe we should play sometime," Ari says.

"What do you play?"

"Point guard," Ari informs them and then Kyle stalks away. Declan follows his lead. "What's up his ass?"

"Whose?" Jessi asks as she plays confused. She can tell something is wrong with Kyle but doesn't know why.

"Kyle, he seems… jealous."

"Kyle doesn't get jealous," Jessi fought.

"Are you sure, I mean, you are someone to envy," Ari argued. He pinned Jessi against his bike so she couldn't get out. His lips were only inches from hers.

"Ari…" Jessi began. Ari tried to kiss her but Jessi pushed him away. "Don't, I'm Kyle's girlfriend, not yours," she tells him and then stalks off herself. Jessi goes into The Rack again to get her own drink. Amanda eyes Jessi and gives her a look. Jessi is pretty pissed and easy to tick off. Amanda tsks under her breath and then Jessi snaps.

"What?" She asks of Amanda.

"You'll actually cheat on Kyle with that loser," Amanda proclaims. "Kyle deserves better," she tells her.

"I wasn't cheating on Kyle and who does he deserve? You?" Jessi fires off. She walks closer to Amanda. "You lost when you left him, I didn't steal him."

"The only reason we broke up was because of you!"

"No, it was because you couldn't trust Kyle. I can trust him and he trusts me. I'm sorry if this hurts you Amanda, but back the hell off. Your opinion isnt wanted in this circumstance."

"Circumstance, do you even have any valid feelings for Kyle?" Amanda counter argues. Jessi doesn't say anything at first. For the first time Amanda sees, Jessi is showing emotion with her eyes.

"How can I not?" Jessi says and then turns her tough face on. "You knew this answer for a while, so why don't you back off. This isnt a three way relationship – so get the hell out of not just mine, but Kyle's life. He doesn't need anymore ditzy blondes in his life," she left out the comment, he already has Hillary. Jessi leaves Amanda there as she suffers the embarrassment in front of the whole store.

Ari found Declan and Kyle at the gym making shots and decided to join them. Declan went to go ask a few other guys to play a game. Leaving Kyle and Ari together. Alone.

"So you're dating Jessi, huh?" Ari asks Kyle in the awkwardness. "Funny, she never told me before."

"Oh really," Kyle mused and bounced the ball hard on the ground.

"Yeah, she's pretty cool and pretty hot," Ari thought. Forgetting for a moment the look Kyle gave him when he was flirting with Jessi before. Kyle has control of himself, and he sees Ari more of an annoyance than an actual threat. He found it weird that he was even using the word threat, Ari, and Jessi in the same thought. It was agonizing seeing this cocky guy talking about _his_ Jessi.

"She's not just cool – she's incredible, and she's not just hot either, she's beautiful," Kyle counters. "Don't say anything like that again – or I'll hurt you more than I can right now," Kyle tells him in his non threatening voice.

"Right now?" Ari asks with a confused voice. Kyle throws the basketball at Ari's balls and hits him hard. Ari doesn't play well in the game that day.


	11. Chapter 11

**okay, it's been a while, and i'm getting bad at this because my computer, her name is Isabella "Bell" Taylor Dell, got sick and we had to take her to JDomingers Hospital For Electronics, and then Joe couldn't fix her and so he sent her home to die w/ her loved ones before my mother, Dr. Dragomir called Dell's family (her biological family) Dell Corp. and then they lended a bonemarrow or something and fixed her - my computer. **

**Let's all take a moment of silence to digest the weirdness**

Dinner is quiet, so it's unusual for the Trager household. Lori eats her food slowly, _thoughtfully_ and answers every question after being asked a few times. Josh is trying his hardest to take small bites really fast without Stephen or Nicole to notice. They notice. Nicole keeps on looking over at Kyle who has this far away distant look in his eyes. A glorious look. Stephen looks at Nicole looking at Kyle and wishes she would butt out of it.

Jessi eats alone at her apartment because Maria is working overtime for a friend at Borders. All she is eating is a box of macaroni and cheese with a glass of coca cola. Her mind is wandering so far away it's a wonder her head doesn't split to a million, tiny little fragments. She's thinking of Kyle, wondering if he's thinking of her, about their night that will soon start.

Foss is around…. Somewhere.

Detective Knight is eating at the police station where only a few other people are staying for dinner. It's either those really dedicated to their jobs, those who know they are sleeping on the couch tonight, or those who don't have someone to order them to sleep on the couch. The janitor is there because his step mom took away his x-box. Detective Knight eats Macaroni and Cheese also as he peers at the computer. It's fairly simple, emails about where to be, what to watch, and who to locate in that weird instant messaging language, a calendar with only dates of dentist appointments and professors, and porn. Detective Knight doesn't buy any of it.

Josh is the first one to finish, not unexpected. He tells his parents that he is going to go play videogames as he stands up out of his chair and walks out of the dining room.

"Tell Andy hi," Stephen calls out as Josh walks up the stairs. Under his breath Josh mutters shit in a tired voice. He still hurries up to his bedroom to go on his laptop and see Andy though. Like any other teenage romance. Besides Jessi and Kyle's, though. Lori leaves her plate on the table, barely finished, tells a lie about going to do homework when truthfully she is going to go call Mark. Her pillow talk buddy. Kyle grabs their plates, along with his and goes into the table to wash the dishes. Even in a hurry, he's still sweet.

Nicole takes the moment as her first chance to be alone with Kyle since she kicked Jessi out.

"Hey," she says in her soft, motherly voice.

"Hello," Kyle says as his back straightens and he turns his head to look at her. It's the first words he's said to her all night.

"I thought you were going mute, usually you are so animated during dinner," Nicole laughs a little bit but it comes more awkward, more forced than usual. She stands on the other side of the counter of Kyle as he washes the dishes speedily but effectively. He slows down a little bit for her sake.

"I think you've gotten me confused with Josh," Kyle says with a forced smile in a light hearted way. Nicole doesn't take it the resilient way Kyle intended though.

"Kyle…" She struggles to find the right words. "I know it's been hard on you since Jessi moved out, but its better this way. Honestly, the house is too small for all of us alone and yet with another person here," Nicole exclaims.

"We could have made it work."

"No, we couldn't. Not while your hearts are entangled in such a passionate way," Nicole says with a hint of tiresome in her voice. She doesn't want to talk about this, she wants it to go away but she knows better than to believe that it will. "Kyle, you know I love you. I don't even have to think of you as a son because I feel it in my heart."

"I know, Nicole," Kyle tells her. "I appreciate it," he truly does but right now he wants to be with Jessi.

"Kyle, Jessi's not good for you. You deserve someone who will make you happy, who will –"

"Jessi makes me happy," Kyle interrupts her without thinking. Still lost with that one word he continues. "Jessi makes me feel like I'm alive, willing to do anything. She's beautiful, and smart, and _stubborn_ but it's who she is. I don't want to change her; I just want to be with her." He finishes.

"Kyle," Nicole says, her lips now pressed in a tight line. "Are you still seeing her?" Kyle's hands have stopped washing by now and he grabs a towel to dry them. He thinks about telling Nicole, or not telling her. Kyle would never lie to someone if he had another choice but he's lied before for Jessi.

"Yes."

"Oh Kyle," Nicole starts but then Stephen walks in. He is bringing in his own plates. He had the decency to finish his food. He looks at Nicole and then at Kyle before he puts two and two together.

"Kyle, I can get those, why don't you go on up and get some homework done," Stephen is being sarcastic and Kyle knows it. Homework is the key word in this house for sneaking around to see your soul mate. Kyle leaves the dishes in the sink and leaves without looking at Nicole. At this moment he knows that someday he'll have to choose, his family, or Jessi. He just wishes that one day Jessi can be a part of his family again.

Nicole turns on her heel to look at Stephen who is glowering down at her with his eyes.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to force him out?" Stephen hisses at her so no one else will hear. Kyle can hear them.

"I'm just trying to explain myself, my reasoning's to him." Nicole pleads. "The boy needs to understand we are only looking out for his safety!" She adds in her own hushed voice.

"It's Kyle. He's not a boy, he has gone through more terror, more sorrow than we could ever imagine. Hell, I still can't wrap my own head around it most of the time but he's a part of this family now. Look Nicole, you can't just draw people into our lives only to push them out after time. It happened once, it's not going to happen again," Stephen storms out of the kitchen upstairs to his own bedroom.

Nicole doesn't know what to do, or what to say. She just stands there for a while.

Kyle sneaks out of his house through the famous window. Amanda doesn't see him though, she's playing her piano. Kyle takes in the sound of her beautiful music. He misses it, the soothing melodies and bridges. Somewhere in his heart there will always be Amanda. There is always a first love that stays with you, no matter what happened or when it did. He only hopes Jessi understands that.

Jessi is on her couch doing homework she didn't do the night before. She doesn't like school, the work is easy but it's boring to her. The only truth behind her going is Kyle. And Lori. And Declan. And even Hillary. She has friends, even though she would never admit to being Hillary's friend but it makes the difference. Someone knocks on her apartment door, her mind immediately thinks of Kyle. She jumps up out of her seat and walks to the front corridor. Next to the door is a mirror and she takes a good, deep look before opening the door. The lip gloss Hillary helped her pick out, combed hair and every inch of makeup intact.

She opens the door with a smile but it soon vanishes.

Nate is standing before her. His shaggy long brown hair is distinct along with every outline of his face. Jessi locks her eyes with fury and sets her mouth with anger. It doesn't take long; after all, she's _damaged_. The word runs through her head, it makes the blood in her veins speed up, her hear pound louder and every ounce of adrenaline in her body to wake up.

"Hello Jessi," Nate walks into her apartment after tearing her arm off the door. "Mind if I come in?" He asks sarcastically when he is already in. "Oh, I already _am_," a list of words hustle through her head ; dirt bag, idiot, asshole, moronic, butt face, imbecile, and many making its way at the speed of lighting.

"Hello asshole," she responds when she finds the perfect word to fit him.

"Aw, a little sensitive, are we?" Nate asks as he walks around the apartment. Jessi wants to cut out his throat with her teeth and feed it to the night but waits. She doesn't know why she waits, but she does. "I came here to make an offer," Nate tells her. "See, I want those papers back, the ones you _stole _from me?"

"You mean the ones you took from Cassidy?" Her throat burns at the sound of his name.

"He's dead. Your boy killed him."

"Cassidy was going to kill Kyle!" Jessi steps forward, ready to throw a punch and not miss.

"He would never!" Nate says in an equally toned voice. "Cassidy would never kill his own brother," Jessi takes a step back. Not physically, but mentally. _Whoa – brothers? What the – how the – Kyle wouldn't – Cassidy isn't_ Jessi thinks to herself. Nate sees her eyes pondering the thought and so he takes out the knife from his pocket and raises it only an inch into the air. "Kyle's the monster, you see, and he's going to pay," Jessi's eyes notice the knife lunging towards her stomach but her reflexes are much faster than this guys. Nate's name doesn't exist for her anymore, he's just an enemy now and there's only one thing you do with them.

Promptly, Jessi takes hold of Nate's wrist and twists his arm against his back. Within a few quick strides she has him pinned against the wall with his pocket knife in _her _hands. Jessi carefully lets one of her arms release him with the other one still in place. She raises the knife to his cheek and can feel his fear breathe out of his mouth and into the icy air.

She pushes him to the floor. He looks up, confused, dazed and _extremely_ pissed. His knife is still in Jessi's hand and Jessi looks like the goddess Athena. Of war. Her eyes could be black and held with a deeper past than anyone could imagine. Nate isn't stupid or a coward, at least, not yet. He reaches into his shoe on his left foot to pull out a gun. Raising it into the air he points it at Jessi but she doesn't hesitate, she doesn't fear, she simply stares. All it does it click when he fires it. Jessi's other hand opens up to reveal the bullets in her hand. A wicked smile crosses her face. Nate scrambles up to his feet and runs toward the door.

Jessi is faster. Stronger.

She makes it there just when he is at the door so she can pin him up to it. Her arm at the base of his throat. Jessi now sees how useless he can be, how scared one man, no, one _boy _can get when you take away his protection. Nate's eyes are wild and petrified as he looks into Jessi's calm, encouraged, and black eyes. She looks hungry to him. Hungry for a kill.

"Ever even _think _about pulling something likes that again, and I'll kill you," she threatens, then let's go of her hold on him, opens the door and pushes him out. Leaning against the door she takes a few deep breaths and then looks into her mirror. Her fingers run through her hair a few times and her hand then brushes the black halter top down. She pats her jeans to get rid of the wrinkles and spots. The doorbell rings. Jessi answers the door and this time it's Kyle.

"Hey," she smiles sweetly. Kyle walks in, puts his arms around her waists and starts to kiss her. Jessi closes the door behind them.


	12. Chapter 12

**Short I know, but I felt like writing something for Kessi fans so they can hear those three special words... again**

Josh's eyes flutter as he wakes up. He doesn't want to wake up, to go to school, to live another day without hearing Andy's musical laugh, and glorious face. He's dreaming of her right now. He sees her in a meadow of tall flowers in a white dress that is a low V that goes down to her knees. She's barefoot, her golden brown hair flowing with the breeze. Andy looks beautiful, like the god Andromeda herself.

Josh's eyes open slowly as he rolls onto his side. Taking the first real breath as he thinks of facing another day of academics, friendships, and long distant girlfriends. Then he see's the clock. 7:35. He jumped out of bed, shoved a pair of jeans on and put on the first item of clothing his hands touched. Not bothering to take a shower, he put on some deodorant hastily and ran out. Running down the stairs he passed Lori as she was talking on the phone and carrying a bowl of cereal in one hand. As he passed her some of the cereal fell out.

"Josh!" Lori yelled in her older sibling voice. "What an ass," she murmured into the phone.

Josh ran out the front door without eating breakfast or talking with his parents. Nicole walked into the kitchen from the living room with a peculiar look on her face.

"Where's Josh going this early on a Saturday morning? Usually he sleeps in until noon," she observes.

"Ahh, probably has to work or something," Stephen says as he reads the paper. He straightens his back and turns to Nicole. His hands rub her arms. "I'm sorry," he apologizes.

"It's okay, I should just let go, let them live their lives without getting so involved."

"Probably," Stephen agrees. Nicole gives him a look so he kisses her forehead and pulls her in for a tight hug. Then Kyle walks in, his hair unbrushed with his shirt ruffled and straight jeans on. He has that cute sleepy look on. Kyle takes one look at Stephen and Nicole and walks out backwards. In his tub room Jessi is waiting for him. Jessi's wearing just a long white racerback shirt that goes to her knees and flies in the air when she moves.

"Stephen. And Nicole," is all Kyle says and Jessi ducks into the corner of the room where no one can see her. Then Kyle backs away from the door, releasing his hand from the knob.

"Kyle?" Nicole asks as she peeks in. She opens the door wider. "Hey," she smiles her morning smile as she walks in.

"Hi Nicole," Kyle says in his naturally sweet voice. If someone looked closely into his eyes, they could tell how confused he was at the moment.

"How are you doing?" Nicole asked with her sweet voice, under the tenderness she was trying to find something about him and Jessi.

"I'm doing fine, just a little tired," he admitted with a groggy voice.

"Well some breakfast will help that," she offered. "So… I'm sorry about my behavior last night Kyle," she apologizes. Jessi is still in the corner and her back straightens up at the turn of the conversation. "If you and Jessi want to be together I guess that's… fine, but know, that you're only seventeen," she guessed at his age, since they don't know _exactly _how old Kyle is. "So don't take it too serious," she says and shuts the door behind her.

"Bitch," Jessi muttered.

"Jessi," Kyle whispered to calm her as he walked over to her corner.

"'don't take it too seriously', 'only seventeen'? You've done more with your life than she will ever do!" Jessi began to raise her voice and Kyle hushed her down.

"Jessi don't take it that way," Kyle soothed as his arms held her closely. "She's just acting like any other mother, and don't worry about it. Besides, I'll always love you," Kyle told her and then kissed the top of her head.

They stayed like that for a while.


	13. Chapter 13

Kyle was getting dressed in his prom suit. The last memory he had in this suit was of him holding Amanda in his arms. Now, he was going to a funeral. He tied his bowtie and laced his shoes before leaving. Declan drove him to the funeral because he was the only one who wasn't bitching at him for doing this.

"Man, you are one brave son of a bitch," Declan said as he parked the car. "I'll wait so you can get out as soon as you can," he looked outside the window at the crowd dressed in black mourning a dirt bag. Kyle got out of the car without hesitation and left to go join the people who wanted to see _him _six feet under. Everyone gave him a fierce glare as he walked towards them.

They were silent during the ceremony but inside they were all screaming furiously at the presence of Kyle. Nate was there and his eyes didn't look away from him as Kyle looked down at the ground in shame. Jackie was there, she hadn't been talking to Declan for the last few days and Mark stood by Kyle.

Detective Knight was in the back, watching everything. Inside his head he was taking notes of everyone, especially Kyle. He never heard of the killer going to the funeral, unless it's one of those horrible cocky ones. Kyle didn't look cocky to him though, he looks sad, sorrowful. The priest finishes up with his words and then the coffin goes down and people put dirt over him.

As Kyle leaves, Mark pats his arm and goes back to his "friends". He walks away, with his head down and sadness deep into his eyes. Detective Knight runs to catch up with him.

"Excuse me, Kyle?" He calls out and Kyle's head snaps up and he turns around.

"Yes?" He asks, looking like a depressed puppy that just had his favorite chew toy taken away.

Detective Knight flashes his badge. "I'm Detective Knight and I would like to talk to for some time," he orders.

"I already talked to the police."

"Yeah, but you didn't talk with me," Knight points out. "Please, all I need is a few minutes of your time Kyle."

"No you don't," Declan declared as he walked into this argument. He saw it from his car and came a running. "What you need is to get a new job, because you suck at this one, so stop stalking my friend and get on with your life." What he wanted to say was go get laid but he thought that would be inappropriate.

"Are you supporting that he killed a man?"

"It's not as if Cassidy was all that innocent himself," which was all Detective Knight needed to hear.

After the funeral, Mark went out to dinner with everyone who was on the other side of the cemetery.

"Why are you siding with him?" Someone asked. "That bastard deserves to die for what he did to Cassidy!" Their fist pounded on the table.

"I'm not siding with him, but it was self defense." Mark argued.

"You don't know that!" Another nameless person spoke. "No one knows that for sure," they added.

"Kyle knows it, and I trust him, he's a good guy, he wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Yet he would murder Cassidy?" Another one joined in.

"It was _self-defense_," Mark told them all. He shook his head and stood up, "I can't do this anymore." He walked away from the table.

Jackie got up and followed him as he left. Mark turned around and just stormed all of his thoughts at once. Talking about how everyone is being so ignorant, how Cassidy didn't even tell them the truth about _any_thing, how they were all guinea pigs in his experiment.

"Whoa, Mark, you don't know this. You can't listen to everything this… this _Kyle_ tells you."

"You act as if you never knew him, never talked to him, and didn't help him when he needed it. He's the best out of all us and now you're joining the people who want to crucify him!"

"It's not like he is some fucking messiah, Mark. I don't even believe that I knew the real Kyle since he killed Cassidy. The Kyle I knew was so sweet, and so naïve that I thought he didn't even have the strength to…"

"He always had the strength, but he never hurts anyone. Not emotionally or physically."

"Not anymore," Jackie said her eyes fierce with stubbornness. Her usual Pollyanna cuteness has washed off, she's paler now and her curls are more like silent waves. "He's changed Mark; he's not your friend." Her forehead creased as she said this.

"No, _you_ aren't my friend." And Mark left her standing on the wrong side of the fight. He wanted to trust her, but he knew who he could trust and he was going to confide in her.

Lori walked down the stairs with the phone. "Okay Mark," she told him. "Its fine, come over and we can talk in person." Mark said something on the other line. She smiled. "_No_, mom and dad aren't home. I'll see you soon," and she hung up. Lori looked out the window by the front door and noticed the van parked outside.

"Uh, Kell, is that your dad or something?" She called to Josh and Kell who were in the living room playing G-Force.

"Who knows, who cares," he muttered. Ignoring the vibrating phone in his pocket. Their eyes were glued to the screen. Lori went out the front door with the phone still in her hand. The person in the van rolled down the window on the passenger side.

"Hi, are you Kell's dad?" She asked him. He looked… darker than Kell, though Kell wasn't the whitest kid on the block. Like Josh.

"Yeah, I'm his dad," Detective Knight told her. "I've been calling," he explained.

"G-Force and teenage guys, kind of hard to pull away."

"There should be a rehab," Knight joked. "I'm Terrance, you?"

"Lori," she told him, her arms folded over the window, leaning into the car. "I'm Josh's older sister."

"Is is just you two?"

"For right now, my parents left to go dinner. I'm _baby_sitting," she explained.

"No other siblings?" Knight asked, Lori was starting to feel… uncomfortable.

"Well, there's Kyle, he's… adopted," she didn't know how to explain to people how Kyle got into their lives.

"Ah, that's nice," and then Kell exited the Trager house. "Oh, there's my boy," Knight exclaimed. Lori looked back and stepped away from the van.

"Later Kell," she says with a wave. "Night meeting you… Terrance and she went inside.

"Bye Lori," Kell said before his father could get a word out and shut the car door.

"Have fun?" Terrance asked his son.

"Yeah, Josh is cool. You should meet him," Kell told his father.

"What about his brother?" Detective Knight asked.

"Kyle? He's cool, kind of a smarty, but he's nice. We're teaching him how to play G-Force next week, it's going to be interesting," Kell told his father.


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay, this is just something I came up w/ because I am on my own period and it sucks**

"I want a birthday," Jessi came up with one day. She, Lori, Declan, and Kyle were eating pizza together at her apartment.

"Birthdays are over rated," Declan said. "You know you're a year older after New Years, why torture yourself and assign it a date."

"You sound like a middle aged woman," Lori commented. "Alright, when should Jessi's birthday be?" Declan wanted to contribute by saying October, for the freaks but he knew Kyle would kill him. His arm was around Jessi's waist in a way that you knew they had gotten close to bow chica wow wow once or twice. For all Declan knew, they could have already had.

"It should be later in the year, like October or November," Kyle added.

"Maybe we should get some astrology books, see what fits you best," Lori volunteered. "And look! Another reason for you to go shopping with me and Hillary tomorrow."

"And Hillary being the problem." Jessi thought aloud.

"Isn't she always the problem?" Declan joked. "Cant girls go anywhere by themselves?" He asked Kyle.

"Going without people provides support," Kyle told them.

"Did you get that from the encyclopedia?" Declan mocked and then bite out of his pizza. They finished the pie and Lori got a call from Mark for dinner plans.

"Too late buddy," Declan murmured.

"You don't like Mark?" Kyle asked in that sweet naïve voice of his.

"He seems… nice. Just too brainy for Lori, she isn't into science and all that shit," Declan thought.

"Yeah but he and Lori are good together," Jessi told Declan. "She needs someone like him right now, someone not so confusing," she joked with Declan.

"Like you?" He teased. Jessi kicked his foot but Declan was fast and ducked it.

"Play nice, kids." Kyle mocked them.

"No such thing with kids," Declan told him and then Jessi got a weird look in her eyes. A new depth came to her brown eyes, a softness, for a change.

After their "dinner" is consumed, Declan and Lori are about to leave the love birds to themselves.

"Uh, Kyle, I'm getting a little tired, maybe you should just go home," she said. He looked confused, and a little hurt. "It's just… girl problems," she told him. He still didn't get it. "It's just this time of the month when I want to be alone," Kyle looked sad.

"Uh, Kyle why don't you and Declan head home, I'll stay with Jessi." She told him and reached towards Jessi.

"I don't understand," he said. Kyle truthfully didn't understand, you could see it on his face. Even Declan understood, already.

"Come on Kyle, we can go to Walgreens and get some Monster or something," he tried to help.

"Well, why do I have to go?"

"I just don't feel good Kyle," Jessi tried.

"Well, do you need me to get some medicine or to help you go to sleep?" At this moment Jessi was cursing Kyle for his sweetness.

"Dude, would you want your girlfriend to help you when you're sick?" Declan asked, "Come on, man." He supported.

Kyle remained his ground.

"I want to know what's wrong," Kyle told them all. "What's wrong Jessi?" He asked as he walked closer to Jessi.

Given up, she told him.

"I have my goddamn period."


	15. Chapter 15

**okay i want to thank cptlatnok for telling me that my nicole was out of wack, i dont know to me she always seemed more like a bitch so... sorry!:(**

Mark and Lori talked silently in the corner. Lori's hand cupped over her juice on e minute and holding Mark's fragile being with another. Mark's eyes were sad, they were contradicted and torn. He wanted to hate Kyle but he wouldn't – he couldn't join the crusades against him. Lori said something that couldn't be heard from where he was sitting and Mark laughed an awkward, yet silent laugh. His eyes shined for that moment.

"Declan?" Jackie asked as she walked in. "You came," she exclaimed energetically as she smiled half heartedly. There was a delighted but yet pessimistic aura around her today. She sat down across from Declan and smiled. "It's so good to see you."

"Well, I guess it would be hard to see each other with you dodging my calls," Declan said in his naturally sarcastic and seductive voice. Jackie looked down at her hands, her face turning pale and her eyes looking very guiltily.

"Declan," she began in a softer voice than before. A more cautious voice. Jackie didn't know where to begin so she started to play with her fingers.

"This is getting too complicated," Declan said for her. Jackie looked up with those big brown eyes of hers.

"Yeah, you could say that," she said in a sad voice. Her big brown eyes turning to liquid.

"And we are," Declan sighed. He didn't drink his smoothie.

"Declan, I really care about you, I do," Jackie reassured him. Her hand fled to his but just hovered over it and then pulled it back. "But," there's always a but. "I know how close you and Kyle are and I couldn't ask you to make that decision." In Declan's mind right now he was grateful that he and Jackie were doing this so cleanly but then, and you know there is always a but, he was to really like Jackie.

"I wouldn't have had to chose," he told her and walked away.

Jackie leaned back into her seat and looked as if something had died in her eyes.

"I don't know what – what to do," Mark said as he gulped down some of his drink. "Everyone there is turning against me because I don't want to see him crucified."

Lori held his hand tightly and squeezed it. "It's okay Mark; I know Cassidy was important to you and to everyone there but… Kyle really didn't have a choice," she saw Marks eyes fall downward. "You know Kyle, Mark, he wouldn't hurt a fly. He doesn't fight for himself; he fights for those he loves."

"I know, and I truly like Kyle, he's a great guy but now everything is just so… so fucked up."

Sighing, Lori held onto his hand tighter and then brought it to her lips and kissed it.

Mark looked up at her and he smiled sadly.

Nicole was lying on the couch with Stephen; they are spending the night together since the kids are out on the town. The TV is on low and it's a movie that satisfies both parties – mystery and action for the testosterone and little romance and sappy moments for the estrogen part. They stay like that for a while, cuddled up and snuggling close.

Then the front door opened and Kyle and Josh walked in. Nicolet sat up which made Stephen change his posture too as his arm was wrapped around her waist.

"What are you two doing here?" Nicole asked in her motherly curious tone.

"We live here," Josh returned with his natural sarcastic attitude. "What are you _two _doing here?"

"I thought you guys were going to be out later – did your plans fall out?" Stephen asked, changing the subject not so subtly.

"No, apparently yours did," Josh said as he got this real disgusted look on his face.

"Come on, Josh," Kyle said as he placed his hand on Josh's chest and pushed him backwards into the kitchen.

"Oh, Kyle," Nicole called out as she freed herself out of Stephen's hold. She half ran, half walked to where Kyle was waiting. Once standing in front of him she sighed gratefully and began. "Look, I know I've been… weird lately, but I truly just want what's best for you. I love you Kyle, you know that," and Nicole smiled sweetly.

"I love you too, Nicole," Kyle could never explain how much he loved her, how grateful he was and how much he appreciated her kindness.

"I just want you to be happy and even though I don't think you and Jessi are the best idea I truly have seen how happy you have been lately since seeing her."

"Nicole, I only ever want to make you happy," Kyle told her with his big blue eyes looking sincere and electric with love. He stepped closer to Nicole and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. He burrowed his head in her hair and hugged her tight.


	16. Chapter 16

**Okay it's been a long time - I know but a) finals, b) friends, c) family and d) teachers**

**teachers should all be massacred**

**family's should live apart - that's why we have boarding school **

**friends shouldnt date ex's**

**and finals just shouldnt exist**

The sun is hiding behind her friends at the cemetery. In front of Cassidy's grave is a very tall and slender woman with long sleek black hair and a velvety black dress that touched every curve. Her face was very beautiful and very dark, it's the color of coffee with cream. The eyes she wore were souless in the blackest blasphemy. She kneels down at Cassidy's grave and with her slender fingers lays a bouquet of lilies by his name.

She touches his gravestone gently, thoughtfully.

"Don't worry brother," her carved lips mouthed. She stood up with grace and from behind her came a taller, coffee without cream skinned man who was wearing his own suit. The man wrapped his bulky arms around the girls waist and lead her away from her brothers grave.

Behind them a third trudged along.

Jessi was tired and stiff as she came home from school. Her hands combed lazily through her dark hair as she let her book bag fall silently to the floor boards. School was draining for her, not mentally or physically in the way most teenagers thought, but it was tiring to try to act _normal_, to run at a slower speed and to not act like a know it all bitch in certain classes.

Though she did cheat - she hiked up some speed during her mile run today. Hopefully Kyle wouldn't care. Jessi turned to look at herself in the mirror and patted down her jeans and hair.

"Jessi?" Maria called out from the kitchen. "Can you come in here?" She pardoned. Jessi was tempted to say _yes, mom_ or some smart ass comment like that but didn't. God, she was just… in one of those moods where nothing is too exiting and nothing too boring – a blah mood. She'll have to update her Myspace page with that.

In her kitchen, Maria sat with her hands cupped around a mug of coffee and a visitor sat the same way across from her. He turned around, exposing his Deep Throat.

"Hello Jessi," Tom Foss greeted her.

"Ugh, Jessi, Foss here," Maria starts to speak. "Came to see you earlier, I told him you were at school and he just got back about five minutes ago."

"Yeah," Foss agreed. "It's been a long time, Jessi." He smiled and stood up as he came closer to Jessi. "It's been a long time," he repeated and hugged her around her waist and kissed the side of her head. Jessi wanted to cry – she wanted to shout but at the same time she just wanted to hug him back, so she did.

"Foss," Jessi started as they pulled away. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I thought I'd stop in to say hi to you and Kyle," and see where Cassidy is, was hidden in his eyes.

"Why don't you sit down?" Jessi offers and motions with her hand.

"Uh, I'll go to my room," Maria says awkwardly and moves away from them into her room. Jessi and Foss take a seat on the couch and start talking rapidly.

"True reason?" Jessi asked for real.

"I read Cassidy's obituary – 'his death came to an untimely end'?" Foss looked straight into Jessi's eyes. "What happened, Jessi? We had a plan – and a good one, I thought."

"Yeah, then… Kyle, he got a little out of hand," Jessi said as she looked at her fingers and started to fidget. Her brown eyes almost black as they looked up at Foss. "You don't understand, Foss, Cassidy – that bastard fucking jack ass named Cassidy – he was threatening Kyle, about everything about the Trager's, and Amanda and just… he didn't have a choice."

"I know, I understand," Foss agreed as his back humped over and stared down at his folded hands – as if he was in prayer. "I talked to Kyle last night," Foss spoke after a while. "I have some work to take care of, apparently. I'll need help, of course," Foss looked up and straightened his back. "It'll have to be you," and with those words Jessi's heart started jumping.

Detective Knight sat alone at his apartment with very dim lighting on as he read a Lee Child novel. He still looked scary in navy blue sweats and an Ohio State shirt on. His phone started to ring, and he leaned over his bed to the other side and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

All there is on the other end is static.

"Who's there?"

Just steady static.

Detective Knight hung up on them and then started to read his book again. Then his cell phone started to vibrate in his pocket and he opened it to find a text message.

Snow is irritating, isn't it?

Was all the text said. Then another one appeared from another number.

I hate snow – it always gets in my way.

Then the dim lighting started to flicker a little bit before turning off completely. Blindily, Knight searched for his night stand drawer and pulled out a flashlight and his gun. He stood up with his one small light and huge defying weapon as he started to walk out of his room, thinking this was just a glitch and he should talk to his landlord.

He opened his door and saw a tall figure in front of him in the dark and this figure stepped closer in a slow motion. This person likes to stay hidden, likes the anticipation and the adrenaline pulsing through their victim's blood before they announce themselves. She likes to spook, to creep, and to just plain out, _scare _people.

Jessi emerged from the dark and tilted her head sweetly to the left side. Her eyes sparkled, and her lips curved into a smile.

"It's snowing outside," she told him as a wicked smile appeared across her face.


	17. Chapter 17

**This is the end but just for now....**

Foss drove the car – it was a nondescript green van of some sort. In the passenger seat sat Knight, in a not so great mood. After all he'd been through hell and back.

_You're not going to say anything because you're not going to see anyone._

Foss stopped the car, they were at the designated place now after a very long ride and a very long conversation.

"You understand," Foss stated, it wasn't a question, it was a fact.

"Yes," Knight said in a small voice.

Foss got out of the car first, gathered Knight's bags and walked with him into his new apartment on the east coast.

"Don't come back," was the last thing Foss said.

Knight never said a word.

**To Find Out What Happened Check Out…**

**Next Season/Sequel – Jessi's Pop Song**


End file.
